Settings
Overview
The Settings module allows you to configure all aspects of your payroll system, including company details, pay schedules, tax authority credentials, allowances, deductions, payment integrations, and employee communication preferences. Settings are organised into tabs and adapt to your company's country.
Accessing Settings
Navigate to Payroll > Settings.
Settings Tabs
The settings page is organised into the following tabs:
| Tab | Description |
|---|---|
| Company | Company details and registration information |
| Pay Schedules | Pay frequency and calendar configuration |
| Tax | Tax authority credentials and tax configuration |
| Deductions | Configure deduction types |
| Payments/Allowances | Configure payment and allowance types |
| HMRC/Tax Authority | Country-specific tax authority integration |
| Salary Payments | Automated payment provider setup |
| Analysis Type | Configure payrun analysis display |
| ABBPay HR | HR module integration settings |
| Salary Journal | Accounting journal mapping for payroll entries |
Company Settings
Configure your company's core payroll information.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Company tab.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Registered business name |
| Company Address | Registered office address |
| Company Registration Number | Companies House / corporate registration number |
| Country | Operating country (determines payroll rules) |
| Currency | Default payroll currency |
| Reporting Frequency | Monthly or weekly HMRC reporting (UK) |
Country-Specific Company Fields
UK:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Tax Office Number | HMRC tax office number |
| Tax Office Reference | HMRC employer PAYE reference |
| Account Office Reference | HMRC accounts office reference |
| Corporation Tax Reference | Corporation tax UTR |
Nigeria:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| TIN | Company Taxpayer Identification Number |
| State of Operation | Primary state for PAYE filing |
| CAC Registration Number | Corporate Affairs Commission number |
Ireland:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Employer Registration Number | Revenue employer number |
| ROS Certificate | Revenue Online Service certificate details |
Canada:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Business Number (BN) | CRA business number |
| Payroll Account Number | CRA payroll program account |
| Province | Primary province of operation |
Pay Schedules
Configure your pay frequency and payment calendar.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Pay Schedules tab, or Payroll > Settings > Pay Day Calendar.
Pay Cycle Options
| Pay Cycle | Description | Periods Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Every week | 52 |
| Bi-weekly | Every two weeks | 26 |
| 4-weekly | Every four weeks | 13 |
| Monthly | Once per month | 12 |
Pay Day Calendar
The pay day calendar shows scheduled payment dates for the current tax year.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Pay Day Calendar.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Period | Pay period number |
| Period Start | Start date of the pay period |
| Period End | End date of the pay period |
| Payment Date | Date employees will be paid |
| Status | Whether the payrun has been processed |
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Pay Day Calendar > Show to view the full calendar grid.
Tax Settings
Country-specific tax configuration.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Tax tab.
Global Tax Settings
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Default Tax Code | Default tax code for new employees (UK: 1257L) |
| Week 1 / Month 1 Default | Whether new employees default to non-cumulative basis |
| Tax Year | Current active tax year |
Allowances
Configure custom payment types and allowances that can be applied to employees during payruns.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Payments (Allowances tab).
Creating an Allowance
- Click the Add button.
- Complete the allowance form.
- Click Save.
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | Display name for the allowance |
| Type | Yes | Fixed amount or percentage |
| Amount / Rate | Yes | Default amount or percentage |
| Taxable | Yes | Whether the allowance is subject to tax |
| NI-able | Yes | Whether the allowance is subject to NI |
| Pensionable | Yes | Whether the allowance counts for pension |
| Description | No | Optional description |
Managing Allowances
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Edit | Modify an existing allowance |
| Delete | Remove an allowance (cannot delete if in use) |
Deductions
Configure custom deduction types that can be applied to employees during payruns.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Deductions.
Creating a Deduction
- Click the Add button.
- Complete the deduction form.
- Click Save.
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | Display name for the deduction |
| Type | Yes | Fixed amount or percentage |
| Amount / Rate | Yes | Default amount or percentage |
| Pre-Tax | Yes | Whether deducted before or after tax |
| Description | No | Optional description |
Managing Deductions
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Edit | Modify an existing deduction |
| Delete | Remove a deduction (cannot delete if in use) |
Tax Authority Settings
Country-specific tax authority integration and credentials.
HMRC Settings (UK)
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > HMRC.
Sender Details
Configure your HMRC sender credentials for RTI submissions:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sender ID | Yes | HMRC-issued sender ID |
| Authentication Method | Yes | Authentication type (Clear Text, etc.) |
| Authentication Value | Yes | Authentication password/value |
| Tax Office Number | Yes | HMRC tax district number |
| Tax Office Reference | Yes | Employer PAYE reference |
| Account Office Reference | Yes | Accounts office reference |
| Corporation Tax Reference | No | Corporation tax UTR number |
Coding Notices
View and manage HMRC coding notices (tax code changes) received for your employees.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > HMRC > Coding Notices.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Employee | Affected employee |
| Previous Tax Code | Tax code before the change |
| New Tax Code | Updated tax code |
| Effective Date | Date the new code takes effect |
| Status | Applied or Pending |
HMRC Notifications
View all notifications received from HMRC including student loan notices, tax code changes, and general communications.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > HMRC > Notifications.
| Notification Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Tax Code Change | Updated tax code for an employee |
| Student Loan Start | Student loan deduction start notice |
| Student Loan Stop | Student loan deduction stop notice |
| Generic Notice | Other HMRC communications |
FIRS Settings (Nigeria)
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > FIRS.
Configure Federal Inland Revenue Service credentials and filing preferences.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| TIN | Company TIN |
| FIRS Office | Assigned FIRS tax office |
| Filing Frequency | Monthly remittance schedule |
Revenue Settings (Ireland)
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Revenue.
Configure Revenue (Irish tax authority) credentials and ROS integration.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Employer Number | Revenue employer registration number |
| ROS Digital Certificate | Revenue Online Service certificate |
| PAYE Modernisation | Real-time reporting configuration |
CRA Settings (Canada)
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > CRA.
Configure Canada Revenue Agency credentials and filing preferences.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Business Number | CRA business number |
| Payroll Account | Payroll program account number |
| Remittance Frequency | Regular, quarterly, or accelerated |
Automated Salary Payments
Stripe Connect (UK/IE)
Connect your Stripe account to enable automated salary payments directly from the payroll system.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Salary > Connect.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Connect | Link your Stripe account |
| Return | Handle Stripe connection return |
| Refresh | Refresh Stripe connection status |
Paystack Connect (Nigeria)
Connect your Paystack account for automated salary disbursement in Nigeria.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Salary > Paystack.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Connect | Link your Paystack account |
| Disconnect | Remove Paystack connection |
Analysis Type
Configure how payrun analysis data is displayed on dashboards and reports.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Analysis Type.
Salary Journal
Map payroll transactions to your accounting chart of accounts for automatic journal entry generation.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Salary Journal.
| Mapping | Description |
|---|---|
| Gross Pay Account | Ledger account for gross pay expense |
| PAYE Liability | Ledger account for tax liability |
| NI Liability | Ledger account for NI liability |
| Pension Liability | Ledger account for pension liability |
| Net Pay Account | Ledger account for net pay (bank) |
ABBPay HR Integration
Configure integration with the ABBPay HR module for shared employee data.
Navigate to Payroll > Settings > ABBPay HR.
Payroll Template
Configure the payslip template and branding:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Template Style | Select payslip design template |
| Company Logo | Upload company logo for payslips |
| Footer Text | Custom footer text on payslips |
GDPR Data Retention
Configure data retention policies in compliance with GDPR:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Retention Period | How long payroll data is retained |
| Auto-Delete | Automatically delete data after retention period |
| Anonymisation | Anonymise leaver data after a set period |
Employment Verification
Configure employment verification letter settings for employee requests.
WhatsApp Integration
Set up WhatsApp Business for sending payslips and notifications to employees.
Navigate to Payroll > WhatsApp.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Setup | Connect your WhatsApp Business account |
| Templates | Manage message templates for payslip delivery |
| Chat | Direct messaging with employees |
Accountant Access
Grant your accountant read-only or full access to the payroll system.
Navigate to Payroll > My Accountant.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Accountant Email | Invite an accountant by email |
| Access Level | Read-only or Full access |
| Revoke Access | Remove accountant access |
Nigeria-specific settings
The following settings appear only when your company's country is set to Nigeria. Each is accessible from the Nigeria sidebar under its own menu item.
Salary Levels
Path: Payroll > Salary Levels (sidebar item).
Configure salary structures used by level-paid employees. Federal MDAs typically run on a published scale; private-sector employers can build bespoke levels.
- Add Level — code (e.g. GL07, CMS01), name, scale code, sort order.
- Add Step under any level — step number, annual gross, monthly gross (auto-derived), housing/transport/basic breakdown.
- Bulk salary adjustment — percentage or fixed-amount change to all active steps in a level.
- Apply Government Scale — one-click clone of any of nine federal scales: CONPSS, CONHESS, CONMESS, CONUASS, CONJUSS, CONPOSS, CONTISS, CONPCASS, CONAFSS. Optional multiplier (e.g. 0.95 for state govt at 95% of federal). 106 levels and 1,272 steps total are pre-seeded as templates.
Each 1 January, ABBPay automatically advances eligible employees one step within their level on duty anniversary, respecting an 11-month minimum gap from the previous increment.
Pension Schemes
Path: Payroll > Pension Schemes (sidebar item).
Pension scheme configuration for your company. You may run multiple schemes (e.g. one for senior staff, one for junior staff).
- PFA dropdown — 22 licensed Nigerian PFAs (ARM, AIICO, AXA Mansard, Crusader Sterling, Fidelity, FCMB, IEI-Anchor, Leadway, NLPC, NPF, NUPEMCO, OAK, Pensions Alliance, Premium, Radix, Sigma, Stanbic IBTC, Tangerine APT, Trustfund, Veritas Glanvills, etc.).
- Contribution rates — defaults locked to PRA 2014 §4(3) statutory minimums (8% employee, 10% employer) but you can raise them.
- Pensionable components — choose Basic + Housing + Transport (default) or extend (e.g. add hazard allowance for security firms).
- Maximum pensionable earnings cap (optional).
- RSA PIN format validation — PEN followed by 12 digits.
- Effective dates for rate changes.
- Per-employee scheme assignment.
Loans
Path: Payroll > Loans (sidebar item).
Configure loan types employees can apply for through the self-service portal.
- Loan types — name (Salary Advance, Car Loan, Housing Loan, Hardship Loan), max amount, max tenure (months), interest rate, interest type (fixed or reducing-balance), approval requirements (auto / single approver / dual approver).
- Approval workflow — approve or reject loan applications submitted via portal.
- Auto-deduction — payroll automatically deducts active loan repayments (principal + interest) and records each repayment.
- Loan summary — per-employee report showing total borrowed, remaining balance, repayment history.
Tax Year Config
Path: Payroll > Tax Year Config (sidebar item).
Override any statutory parameter for your company by tax year. ABBPay's defaults apply where you have not set an override.
- PAYE bands — view 2026+ NTA progressive (0/15/18/21/23/25%) and legacy 2025 CRA bands; override for your company.
- CRA components — minimum NGN 200,000 floor, 1% / 20% rates.
- Rent Relief — rate (default 20%) and cap (default NGN 500,000).
- Pension defaults — employee rate, employer rate, mandatory threshold (15+ employees).
- NHF — rate (default 2.5%), opt-in/opt-out default.
- NHIA mode — choose flat (legacy 5%/10%) or banded (NHIA Act 2022); set band edges if banded.
- NSITF / ITF — employer rate, ITF threshold (25+ employees or turnover ≥ NGN 50M).
- WHT rates per transaction type.
- CIT — small-company threshold, standard rate, Development Levy 4%.
- VAT — rate (default 7.5%).
- Termination exemption cap (NTA 2025: NGN 50M).
- Minimum wage monthly (default NGN 70,000; per-state overrides separate).
Group Life
Path: Payroll > Group Life (sidebar item).
Track Group Life Insurance policies as required by PRA 2014 §4(5) — 3× annual emolument cover for every employee.
- Add policy — insurer, policy number, sum assured (auto-calculated 3× annual emolument), premium, premium frequency, start date, expiry date.
- Expiring-soon banner — shown when a policy is within 30 / 14 / 7 days of expiry.
- Expiry reminders — ABBPay emails your company ahead of expiry.
- Policy schedule export — for PenCom annual return.
PFA settings (Company tab)
The Company → Tax & Regulatory tab holds the canonical PFA Name dropdown and PFA PIN. These fields drive PenCom remittance. The Payroll Settings page additionally captures PFA Code (PenCom employer code) and Pension Fund Custodian as separate fields, with a callout pointing to the Company tab for PFA Name/PIN.
Bulk Transfer
Path: Payroll > Bulk Transfer (sidebar item).
Move multiple employees between MDAs, departments, or states with a single transaction. Each transfer is recorded with a shared batch reference. Includes dry-run preview before commit and rollback by batch.
Access to Nigeria settings
Each Nigeria settings page is available to users with permission to edit payroll settings.